Catania sports chief Pietro Lo Monaco has confirmed that Fiorentina-bound full back Juan Manuel Vargas was a transfer target for Real Madrid.
Vargas, who is nicknamed ‘Catania’s Roberto Carlos’ by his club supporters, is just days or even hours away from completing his move to Fiorentina.
The 24-year-old was undoubtedly the best left back in Serie A last season, and this led to interest from virtually every big team in Europe. One of these was Real Madrid, and Lo Monaco says that the Spanish champions wanted to take a transfer option out on the Peruvian.
"The agreement between the Catania and Fiorentina has been in-place for a long time," said Lo Monaco on Vargas' impending transfer to the Viola.
"Instead, the resistance is coming from the agent of the player. Juan is busy with Peru and only after these commitments will the player be available.
"Real Madrid? I must be honest, Real contacted us about a month ago, but explaining that they had other priorities and asked for first refusal.
"But we informed them that everyone had to be treated the same."
Vargas made 36 appearances in Serie A last term for goals.
Fiorentina and Piacenza should meet this week to talk about the co-ownership of 25 year old striker Daniele Cacia; the player's future seems to be in any case away from Florence: his most probable destination seems Catania, that, as admitted by General Manager Pietro Lo Monaco, have already made an official offer
Ibrahim Afellay has played just 10 minutes in yesterday's game against Italy but they could have been enough to convince Fiorentina agents that were observing him in Bern. PSV value him 15 million Euros, aftre the european championship he could even cost more, but, considering that he is only 22 it could be worth to invest such an amount.